Did you read any good books in 2019? This year I was fortunate enough to read 29 books, and you’ll find my “Robert Rating (RR) below. Not as many this past year as the 100 books I read a few years ago (see http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2012/), but for the most part, I enjoyed all the books I selected this year. My reading list of the 22 books I read the year before this one is here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/robert-miller/the-books-of-2018/10157042310309540/.If I tagged you in this post, we have discussed books, or I have given you books I finished at some point, or you asked me for recommendations at some point in the past 12 months.

The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Story of the Cold War, by Ben Macintyre
R/R: 5.0/5.0 A fascinating account of the true story of KGB officer and diplomat Oleg Gordievsky, who was an influential member from an influential family in the USSR, who then became disillusioned with communism and became a spy for the United Kingdom, and the subject of a CIA operation to determine who the UK’s spy from the USSR would be. Macintyre is an excellent writer, and the thrilling story of ongoing espionage, terminating with a defection from the Soviet Union, is an important story from a historical perspective, and a great read.

The Man on Mao’s Right, by Ji Chaozhou
RR: 5.0/5.0 The fact that this was an area of history and geography that I had little to no knowledge about made this story even more fascinating. Although I am guessing that there is some reservedness for political reasons in the biography conveyed here, the criticisms and praise for people in the Chinese government during the period of maximum historical change (from the Cultural Revolution to the rise of successful capitalist China), is endlessly fascinating. A long book, but never drags and with well-paced and descriptive writing that I cannot say enough about.

iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That Means for the Rest of Us, by Jean M. Twenge Ph.D. RR: 5.0/5.0. As the parent of a teen, this book was fascinating. Using research into the most recent specific generation (which is the focus of the academic studies of Ms. Twenge), she outlines how the world changed with the iPhone and smartphones from 2007 and beyond. She describes how today’s youth are subject to introversion and depression, are risk-averse, and suffer from anxiety and addiction to social media. Teen pregnancies, crimes, use of alcohol or drugs, and even willingness to drive have dropped to almost nothing. Really well-documented look at what the next generation (and our future) looks like.

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy The Odds, by David Goggins
RR: 5.0/5.0. This book is an amazing true story. The biography of David Goggins, who grew up in the worst possible childhood, facing prejudice, child abuse, and poverty, and who motivated himself to become a Navy Seal and Army Ranger, and then later in life an Ultra Marathoner (he has run more than sixty ultramarathons. The book is less effective as an advice/self-help book, and more an incredibly amazing story.

Play It Away: A Workaholic’s Guide to Anxiety, by Charlie Hoehn
RR: 5.0/5.0 This is a short book, written by someone with no professional credentials in psychology or anxiety, other than suffering from it. Building off other books, the author makes the point that depression and anxiety can be greatly reduced, if not eliminated, by two things – social friendships, and play. He recommends reading this book with a frisbee nearby. Unfortunately, the links written in the book are no longer active, but the book is good on its own.

Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Method to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones, by James Clear
R/R: 5.0/5.0 This book is famous in the productivity genre, and for good reason. Moving from a personal story to the main idea of the book, that behaviors are usually triggered by cues (and how to change them), this book is more complex than it may seem.

The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Independence, by J.L. Collins
RR: 5.0/5.0 If you’ve read any personal finance books in the past, this book will cover many subjects and approaches you’ve already learned. But it is well written, and for many is all you need. This is a rational, long term investment strategy book, that begins by taking a close look at your existing finances and looking towards what your financial goals are.

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
RR: 4.5/5. Although not as powerful or as brilliant as his other books, “Sapiens” and “Homo Deus”, this book is filled with insights on meditation, artificial intelligence, terrorism, nationalism, education, justice, and what it means to be a fully realized person and responsible citizen of the world. Even with some flaws, and a feeling that this is the “light” version of his other books, this is definitely a wonderful book, with very clear and insightful writing.

Extreme Leadership: How US Navy Seals Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
R/R: 4.5/5.0. This book is a mix of war stories from battles and Iraq and lessons learned that are applicable to management and leadership. Jocko Willink is an amazing military leader that has gone through some horrible (and brave) war experiences, (and I enjoy his podcast), but this book attempts to make the connection between war and corporate management through some weak arguments. The war stories are great. The lessons learned here, (which all seem to be, you need discipline) are a stretch at best.

Deep Nutrition, by Catherine Shanahan and Luke Shanahan
R/R: 4.5/5.0 This nutrition book is broken into several segments. The parts regarding commonalities in native diets around the world are excellent, although I am not sure if the gene expression or beauty proportion arguments from nutrition hold water. The book focuses on the “Four Pillars of Nutrition”: (Meat on the Bone (including bone broth and grass-fed meats), Organ Meats, Fermented/Sprouted Foods, Fresh, Uncooked Ingredients and avoiding sugars and most vegetable oils). A great book and worth reading, however.

Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and in Business, by Charles Duhigg
RR: 4.5/5.0. This author, who wrote the book “The Power of Habit”, is excellent at brilliantly explaining simple practical concepts. This book is not as good as his last one, but focuses on motivation, motivating teams and managing others, and focusing on goals. Full of anecdotes, Duhigg is a great storyteller and this book is worth a read.

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up A Generation for Failure, by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukanioff
RR: 4.5/5.0 This was a book title that I was probably predisposed not to be favorable towards. However, the book, and the authors, very much lay out their case here and make a compelling argument. The book starts out by laying out how our political system and educational system have “three great untruths”: (1. The Untruth of Fragility: What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Weaker, 2. The Untruth of Emotional Reasoning: Always Trust Your Feelings, 3. The Untruth of Us Versus Them: Life Is a Battled Between Good People and Evil People), and then begins to show how those are not true, and actually cause more harm than their good intentions intend to prevent. One suggestion at the end of the book, that college students be required to live in communities that are the opposite of what they grew up in, while probably impossible to implement, stuck with me as a wonderful idea.

The Uninhabitable World: Life after Global Warming by David Wallace-Wells
RR: 4.5/5.0. Intended to be a wakeup call about the effects of Global Warming, the author examines the evidence supporting anthropocentric caused warming and global consequences of what that increase means. Much of this book is speculative, by its very nature, but it is shocking what the effect of even just a degree or two of temperature increase can bring.

How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease, by Michael Greger, M.D., and Gene Stone
RR: 4.5/5. This book simply explores how food has good effects, and bad effects, on the body. While that seems intuitive, I don’t think that “sticks” with most people. As all nutritionists would agree, vegetables are good for you. This discusses why vegans/vegetarians are not the healthiest category of people, but also recommends a primarily vegetable plant diet, minimizing especially heavily processed foods. According to this book, berries and leafy greens, in particular, are as a category much higher in good effects on the body than all others, and to a lesser extent cruciferous vegetables, and then root vegetables and fungi, and all should be eaten daily.

Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance between Astrophysics and the Military, by Neil Degrasse Tyson and Avis Lang
RR: 4.5/5.0. This book does have a different feel to Tyson’s other books, as it has a co-writer that I assume did much of the writing. It’s a relatively long book (576 pages), but doesn’t seem to be arguing towards a particular point, only repeatedly trying to impress the reader with the fact that throughout history, from telescopes to GPS satellites, kingdoms and other forms of government have used science to try to increase capabilities to wage war against other nations or states. Still has some very interesting anecdotes from a number of cultures and countries and describes scientific discoveries well.

The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss, By Jason Fung, MD
RR: 4.5/5. This book, and Dr. Fung’s career, advocates weight loss by practicing two things – fasting for 24-36 hours, and strictly following a low to no carbohydrate diet. The science here is simplified and not well explained, but focuses on insulin, and the claim that insulin increases fat storage and hunger, and over time, increases fat on the body.

The Feeling Good Handbook, by David D. Burns
R/R: 4.5/5. Enough people had mentioned this book that I thought I would purchase it and review it. It’s a very practical guide of “best practices” to lead people out of worry, anxiety, depression, etc., and has many insights on why people end up in these (and other) negative thinking patterns. Many claim this book changed their thinking about a number of things, and I can see why.

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About A Powerful Business Idea, by Bob Burg and John David Mann
RR: 4.0/5.0. A simple business story/parable about a young man who receives advice from “the Chairman” to put others interests first, and to give by providing value in everything he does, can change how business operates.

Wired This Way: A Guide to Understanding and Maximizing Your Personality Type, by Marita Littauer
RR: 4.0/5.0 Another in a large number of books that begin by testing, and then categorizing, you in one of 4/5 bins. (See “The Four Tendencies”, the Meyers-Briggs, “Find Your Love Language”, etc.). Psychology recognizes five “big character traits”, so there may be a correlation, and this book may help those that need to act as though (or figure out why) certain things motivate them more than others. The other speaks about herself an ungodly amount, however.

The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business, by Josh Kaufman
RR: 40./5.0 This book, which started out as a series of blog articles, still feels somewhat like… a series of blog articles. If you run a business, read business books, or have taken business level college classes, this is ground that has already been covered. But the idea here is to distill best practices regarding marketing, accounting, managing, and it manages to do this at an overview level.

Start Something That Matters, by Blake Mycoskie
RR: 3.5/5. A short book featuring the amazing story of the cable network and marketing employee that went on a vacation to Argentina at age 29 and was inspired to start a shoe company. The book, of course, doesn’t delve into the bad news about the company, and about how it was much less effective than advertised. But the simple and straightforward ideas here, and the story of how TOMs Shoes started, is a good one.

Fixing my Gaze: A Scientist’s Journey Into Seeing in Three Dimensions, by Susan R. Barry RR: 3.5/5. This book is simply a personal story from a scientist (a neuroscientist) who went through an intensive vision training program and finally was able to see in three dimensions, retraining her brain. This book is a simple anecdote regarding vision and describing how her perceptions changed. Not that interesting unless you have a similar vision problem.

The Intelligent Investor, by Benjamin Graham
RR: 3.5/5. This book was published in 1949 and inspired Warren Buffett, who was a student of Graham. Not a beginner’s guide to investing, and certainly dated in many aspects. Chapter 8 and Chapter 20 are probably the only chapters with concise and still applicable advice.

The Silkworm: A Cormoran Strike Novel (2), by Robert Galbraith
RR: 3.5/5. As many already know, “Robert Galbraith” is a nom de plume for author J.K. Rowling, which explains the success of this series of novels. The plot, which involves authors and publishing, is a world I am sure Rowling knows well. But this attempt at a detective murder mystery/action novel just felt cliché and flat to me. This book didn’t make me want to read the rest of the series.

What Would Machiavelli Do: The Ends Justify the Meanness, by Stanley Bing
RR: 3.5/5. I am still not sure whether this is a full satire or is meant to teach some social skills to move up in the world, but the author starts by indicating it’s based on some of the “What would Jesus Do” writings, and looks at Machiavellian influence during the renaissance and beyond. Not historically accurate, not really humorous enough to enjoy or recommend.

Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens
RR: 3/5. A novel with an interesting premise, but one that is too ridiculous to be even close to believable, especially the courtroom scenes. With poorly written dialogue, and an ending you can see a mile away, those flaws, unfortunately, make this difficult to recommend.

The Rational Male, by Rollo Tomasi
RR: 3/5. I can’t remember who recommended this book to me a few years ago, but I finally read it this year. This book attempts to look at inter-gender male/female relationships and makes some unsupported and broad assumptions and bold statements that aren’t necessarily supported by evidence (although some certainly are). The style of writing is unprofessional and varies in how clear the writing is from chapter to chapter.

A Mind of Her Own, by Paula McClain
R/R: 3.0/5.0 This short book focuses on a specific time period in the life of Madame Marie Curie, which was when she met her husband, Pierre Curie, who pursued her to the point of obsession, and their meeting changed both their lives and the world.

Junk, by Les Bohem
R/R: 1.5/5.0. This book, about a private detective in Los Angeles who is investigating alien DNA, is bizarre and meandering. Not worth considering.

What was the book you enjoyed most, or recommended most, in 2018? This year I was fortunate enough to dedicate myself to reading 22 books. Not as many as the 100 books I read a few years ago (see http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2012/), but after two years of reading great fiction, I dove back into non-fiction, and enjoyed all the books I selected this year.

My reading list of the 49 books I read last year is here: http://www.robert-miller.com/the-books-read-in-2017/. I have about 20 books already on deck for 2019. Let me know your thoughts, the books you enjoyed, and your recommendations, please. If I tagged you in this post, we have discussed books, or I have given you books I finished at some point.

Enlightenment Now, by Steven Pinker
Review: I always love Pinker’s writing style and his command of language and creativity. This book addresses objections so well, and is so well thought out, it’s hard to argue against, and in that regard this book is brilliant. This is the definition of a ”good news gospel”, as it details how, despite the news, the world is getting better in many measurable and definable ways, and that is due to alignment with many of the freedoms and principles of the enlightenment. Definitely worth the long read.
Rating: 5/5

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark
Review: A book that blew my mind at every new chapter. Incredibly well written, inspirational and scary, and challenges us to look at ourselves and figure out what makes us human, and what defects and weaknesses in our own character we may want to have artificial intelligence help us with, and how that creates dangers for us. Tegmark is an MIT professor and a gifted writer. Chapter 1 is compellingly written and invites us to have the most important conversation of our lives, which is not an exaggeration. Both shocking and inspirational.
Rating: 5/5

Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, by Johann Hari
Review: Hari is a journalist and a great writer, and this book has a premise that is fascinating and uses stories and anecdotes from the last hundred years to prove a simple point – drug policy has been woefully mishandled because humans turn to drugs (prescription and illegal) to cope with a lack of connection in modern society. Shocking and well-argued, even if it relies on stories many times more than scientific data.
Rating: 5/5

The Beginning of Infinity, by David Deutsch
Review: This book might be very hard to describe, but it’s a fairly random assortment of ideas from this physicist (and some would say philosopher of science). Longevity, how biology works, representational government, environmental concerns, quantum physics, all get a thorough discussion with fascinating writing and presentation. There have to be a great number of paragraphs here that are oversimplified and are by nature of what’s being discussed conjecture. But a great read and recommended anyway.
Rating: 5/5

The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
Review: A simple book, and a simple concept, but one that is well presented in this book. Little actions, that are done every day, either take you away from your goals or move you towards your goals. Plenty of examples are well described in the book outlining the practical application of this simple concept.
Rating: 5/5

Principles: Life and Work, by Ray Dalio
Review: This book was way better than I had even anticipated. A fascinating story of the building of a hedge fund and less about Mr. Dalio’s unique look at investing and the markets and more about the algorithms in life, relationships, and money that work best, and how he is constantly looking to improve those and learn from mistakes made in the past. A great read.
Rating: 4.5/5

How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
Review: A review of the history of psychedelics, and a summary of the new research being conducted on the benefits of certain hallucinatory drugs to treat addiction and certain brain dysfunctions. Also a sobering discussion of the dangers and mistakes made in researching this category of drugs, and the need for supervision. Well done and a responsible look at once is again a hot topic, in Silicon Valley and elsewhere.
Rating: 4.5/5

The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway
Review: I had not read this nearly 100-year-old book, but gave it a read on a long flight, and enjoyed the brilliant scenes that Hemingway invites the reader on, again and again. A truly detailed look at a group of people who are struggling with their own worst natures, and feeling like outsiders in a new country, like we all are.
Rating: 4.5/5

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamont
Review: This book is a classic at this point, and positions itself as being about writing, but it’s about so much more. A personal look at the author’s struggles with writing, and family, and teaching, and structure. Many humorous and practical stories in this book, along with an inspirational look into the writer’s life.
Rating: 4.5/5

The First 20 Minutes: Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer, by Gretchen Reynolds
Review: I really enjoyed this book, at least for the most part. This book is filled with practical advice, written in an easy to understand way, towards achieving the goals that people most say they want to accomplish. The ending of the book pushes readers towards finding out which of their personalities (out of four options) the reader has a tendency towards, which doesn’t seem to be as scientifically supported as the rest of the book, and which was the basis for the author’s next book. But overall a good read.
Rating: 4.5/5

I Hate You Don’t Leave Me: Understanding the Borderline Personality by Jerold Kreismaj, MD and Hal Strauss
Review: I read this book (and another similar book, Love Me, Don’t Leave Me, by Michelle Skeen Psy.D.), to understand someone in my life with Borderline Personality Disorder. Makes many interesting observations and connections, and also describes the history of this unusual diagnosis.
Rating: 4.5/5

The Calorie Myth: How to Eat More, Exercise Less, Lose Weight, and by Jonathan Bailor
Review: A plain language discussion of the empirical studies on weight loss and healthy habits, and how to tinker with your own routines to move towards what works, scientifically. The diet recommended here is closest to the Paleo diet, and despite the scientific support, many concepts here may be controversial.
Rating: 4.5/5

Elon Musk: Tesla, Space X, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance
Review: An attempt at a biography of Elon Musk, by someone that interviewed him repeatedly during many of his most famous days. Interviews with family, and past girlfriends, and co-workers, (and employees) of Musk’s various companies are interesting, but the book doesn’t make a cohesive and compelling read as it should. Plus, the news about Musk is a moving target, and once this book was completed, it seems out of date fairly rapidly.
Rating: 4/5

Accessory to War by Neil Degrasse Tyson and Avis Lang
Review: This book goes over the long history of using the scientific method to develop technology to assist the military (going back centuries), and gives the current state of the military’s use of space (as far as classified data allows it). There isn’t really a compelling narrative here, as much as a by the assessment of the number of how science will be used in the near future, and why a relationship between the military and the scientists doing research work. I can’t help but think that this book could have been much more, however.
Rating: 4/5

The Believing Brain by Michael Shermer
Review: Another book by Dr. Shermer, focusing on the religious nature of beliefs and how the same pattern shapes our politics, our conspiracy theories, how real ghosts seem to us, etc. Much of this book has familiar territory if you have read several of Shermer’s past books or writings, especially his first book. The presentation and discussion is good, although in my opinion this book fell apart in the last chapter.
Rating: 4/5

Lost Connections: Discovering the Real Causes of Depression by Johann Hari.
Review: This book, by the same author of “Chasing the Scream”, takes a look at the epidemic of anxiety and depression in modern society, and how certain things, like nature, and friendships and creating family-type relationships, work even better than pharmaceuticals. A very personal summary of what the author has learned and what current research reveals, as this book goes through the author’s personal struggle with medicating depression. As chemistry and medical technology improve, it seems so does the evidence that personal connections work even better.
Rating: 4/5

Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life, by Gary John Bishop
Review: An ode to several well-worn self-help principles, including positive thinking (even though the book says it’s not about positive thinking), and the value of getting out of ruts caused by mental patterns. The author has a likable writing style, and seems like a very likable person, although the writing here tends to veer off and be very much “all over the place”. Luckily it’s a short read.
Rating: 4/5

Unlimited Memory, by Kevin Horsely
Review: This book was amazingly short. If you’ve read up on memory techniques, including the memory palace, or making associations with images (the ruder the better), then you won’t find much new to learn here.
Rating: 4/5

Scatter, Adapt and Remember: How Humans Will Survive A Mass Extinction, by Annalee Newitz
Review: The title of this book is somewhat misleading, since it is about past extinction events, not involving humans, covers biological and cultural ways to keep the information, and then goes into speculation about what non-humans might need to survive in the far future. It’s not a badly written book, just more of a jumble of ideas, some very thought-provoking, some of which do not have any link to reality.
Rating: 3.5/5

Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Review: What was intended to be a very practical book instead seems to be all about marketing the author. In fact, it’s difficult to separate the hype here from the simple advice. A book like the Power of Habit by Dugg (see my list from 2016) is a much better book than this one.
Rating: 3/5

The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox
Review: This is a book that reads like a dramatic soap opera. The intention of the book, however, is to provide a system of feedback for manufacturing operations, which takes almost the entire badly written fiction story about a man, his wife, his boy scout troop, etc., to get to. Like I’ve said about other business books in the past, often an easily described central concept gets stretched out to a full-length book, which does nothing for the reader or the book.
Rating: 2/5

The Books Read in 2017:

This past year I read the 44 books listed below. If I’ve tagged you in this note, we have discussed books (or one or more of the books below) in the past year. It took a while to gather my thoughts about the 45 books I read in 2016, and I’m still pondering many of them. My 2016 list of 49 books and my 2015 list of 34 books tie into this as well. What books did you enjoy this past year? What books do you recommend for 2017? What books should I avoid? I love your comments. Thanks for reading.

2017 Book List

Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari
Notes: This book was epic in scope, fascinating, and extremely well written. A history of certain aspects of human evolution, speculation about the future of humanity, what our best and worst qualities might be, and the interesting detours that humanity has taken in the last 1 million years, including the last 100,000 of brain (and culture) development. A book I’ve thought about in the ten or so months since reading it. Really an excellent and well-written book.
RR: 5/5

Musicphelia, by Oliver Sacks
Notes: This book starts strong and finishes strong, with many interesting theories and anecdotes in between. Dr. Sacks examines why the brain seems to be exceptionally tuned to music. Brain damage sometimes reveals musical talents (and brain damage which releases musical memories), persons who have a stroke will often hear music long forgotten and becoming proficient in music can lead to other brain skills becoming more finely honed. The opening story about the Irish orphan who had a mini-stroke in her 90s and immediately heard a long lost Irish folk song is one I will never forget. Fascinating and only the beginning of what is certain to be a new area of neurological brain science.
RR: 5/5

Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives, by Gretchen Rubin
Notes: I can recognize that this book has flaws, but I still recommend it and have mentioned it to many of my friends. Rubin’s book goes over the seven most common goals and utilizes her theories of the “four personality types” and what approach works best, using research, for each personality type. I’m skeptical of the four personality types, but the advice here is solid.
RR: 5/5

1491, by Charles Mann
Notes: This book is researched and written about what the world was like in North and South America before Europeans first visited, and describes a world rich in culture and large populations, with long-distance trade, astronomy, agriculture, and building technologies. This book was fascinating and amazing, and in many instances completely breaks with what you thought the people of the Americas were like. Highly recommended.
RR: 5/5

Human Smoke, by Nicholson Baker
Notes: This book’s rating from me went up the more I thought about it. It’s an unusual book, that even though it’s “authored by” historian and novelist Nicholson Baker, none of the words are his. The entire book is a collection of actual newspaper articles, some diplomatic cables and radio broadcasts, some magazine articles, and speeches, of the time shortly before World War II started, to shortly before it ended. It was surprising in many ways, as the articles he selected show fairly clear how much of the world was responsible for setting up the worst in the death and suffering experienced during that war. It certainly opened my eyes changed my view of Churchill and showed me the horrors of aerial bombing in much of the war. It also challenged people to take a position on refugees, which were major topics of the time. Really an eye-opening book that will change the way you were told about and learned about World War II.
RR: 5/5

Command and Control, by Eric Schlosser. Notes: An amazing book, covering the 1980 Damascus Arkansas nuclear incident and the history of arms and nuclear weapons and policies. A shocking review of the history of development of nuclear weapons, and the safeguards and strategies of what may happen should there be a war. Very sobering.
RR: 5/5

Emily In the Night, by Wendy Walker
Notes: A highly recommended novel about the lives affected by a narcissist and a mystery involving child abduction. (And in that plot element, was influenced and inspired by the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping). A well written suspenseful and fascinating book, with excellent writing and a plot that not only sounds true, but has insights about the human condition.
RR: 5/5

Let My People Go Surfing, by Yvon Chouinard
Notes: The history of the Patagonia company and corporation, written by its founder. From the mountain climbing start with handmade equipment, to the current involvement in environmental activism and a unique workplace in Ventura with unique policies, this book was both interesting, a great business history, and has many recommendations for responsible leadership and management.
RR: 5/5

Helter Skelter, by Vincent Bugliosi
Notes: This book is, of course, famous in the “true crime” genre, in fact, in many ways inventing it, but I had never read it before this year. Sticking to chronological order, the book is well written and a compelling read from start to finish. The portions of the book involving the trial were especially well written. I learned much about the Manson family and all of their crimes (especially relevant in the year that Manson died).
RR: 5/5

Tribe, by Sebastian Junger
Notes: This short book, written by a great author, describes his epiphany while being a journalist with soldiers in Afghanistan. That epiphany is that we want to be part of a group, or “tribe”, more than almost anything, and that the military, in particular, gives young men that opportunity, and that we fail them in how we look at them and help give them that once they have seen combat. The book points out that most combat veterans feel that society in large doesn’t understand them, and points out how that point of view is correct in many ways, and how we can fix that.
RR: 5/5

Ready, Fire, Aim, by Michael Masterson.
Notes: An excellent book, focusing in-depth on several problems that entrepreneurs face in growing a business to several levels. The book title comes from the idea that we should not spend too much time readying ourselves and aiming when we can get something out there to see if it works or not.
RR: 5/5

Mate: Become the Man Women Want, by Tucker Max, and Geoffrey Miller
Notes: Despite the highly cheesy title, this book, mainly written by Evolutionary Psychologist Miller, is really excellent. This is a book that women and men both would enjoy reading. The world needed a book that both speculates and provides solid science about the evolutionary history behind why men and women look for and act the way that they do.
RR: 5/5

The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead
Notes: An exploration of life and culture just before the civil war. A winner of several literary awards, this book had interesting characters and excellent writing, and an interesting, fantastical premise. Many moments of well-written suspense and I learned much from this book.
RR: 4.5/5

Mr. Mercedes, by Stephen King
Notes: The most recent book by Stephen King (I believe), I was interested in reading this after finishing the book “11/22/63”. Really masterful character design and presentation, and this was less supernatural than almost all of King’s books. There is both excellent writing and a unique and interesting plot here, with details that feel real and make sense.
RR: 4.5/5

Extortion: How Politicians Extract Your Money, Buy Votes, and Line Their Own Pockets, by Peter Schweizer
Notes: This book was shocking to me. It turns the narrative that most of us are familiar with – lobbyists constantly working on politicians, showering them with gifts and dinners, and buying their influence, and shows how many politicians expect contributions, gifts, and experiences from lobbyists, and often play lobbyists against each other to maximize the “bribery” inherent in the attention and time from the Washington elite. Full of interesting anecdotes and a discussion of laws that have been proposed to limit things on the politician side (which are rarely passed, due to who votes on the laws).
RR: 4.5/5

I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
Notes: A classic work of science fiction that contains not only the well-known rules of AI robotics but a thrilling mystery and a fast-paced novel, that still holds up. A great read.
RR: 4.5/5

Presto: How I Lost 100 Pounds, by Penn Jillette
Notes: Written by magician Penn Jillette, this story of his dramatic weight loss (he lost an average of a pound a day) starts off with his addictions and adventures in food, including celebrity cooking shows, and him finding Engineer “Cray Ray (Cronise)”, who gets him on a simple diet – eat only one food for every meal for the first 30 days, (he chose potatoes), add no salt, fat or sugar to any meals after that, utilize ice/cold exposure, and only eat “appropriate” cheat meals after that. A highly unusual diet, but there are lessons here about how salt, fat, and sugar are used to make even healthy foods unhealthy.
RR: 4.5/5

Mindless Eating, by Brian Wansink
Notes: This book, written by a food researcher, summarizes a few decades of food research, some with surprising results. The highlights of this book are more the many psychological studies about what makes people overeat without knowing they are, and the brain’s cues on how much you’ve eaten, and when you’re full. Using smaller plates and glasses, eating with soft lighting and soft colors around you, and creating an atmosphere around your meals will cause you to eat less. Heavy on long descriptions of the studies, but short on practical tips (although they are there).
RR: 4.5/5

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson
Notes: This book, by a dating coach/blogger, has been given much attention in the past few years and is a reminder of how we overestimate what others think of us and how little attention we have to give. Instead of spending time on the trivial, the shallow, the celebrity, and the mundane, all of which almost never matter, we can focus on what we want to accomplish in our limited time and improve ourselves and the world.
RR: 4.5/5

Natchez Burning, by Gregory Iles
Notes: The first book in a trilogy and I am only reviewing this book. (Not the trilogy). This book has many strong characters, including a lawyer and a journalist that stand out, and also has many stereotypes about the South and those that live there. The suspense and the mystery might be inconsistent throughout this long book, but the story is solid, and so is the writing. RR: 4.5/5

The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies – How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths, by Michael Shermer
Notes: A discussion of both how the brain works, with the main thesis being that we are exposed to concepts that make us comfortable or uncomfortable, and then wrap all of our beliefs around supporting those concepts and gathering ideas that foster that, and rejecting those that don’t. Discusses religion, and aliens, and various conspiracy theories, although not as lightheartedly as Shermer’s first book.R/R: 4.5/5

The Highly Sensitive Person, by Elaine Aron
Notes: For persons that are shy, withdrawn, introverts, or need frequent alone time, this book is well known. It describes how a personality type known as a “highly sensitive” person is affected by loud noises, bright lights, and overload in busy crowds. More written for others to understand this common personality type, it’s well researched and well written.
RR: 4.5/5

The End of Overeating, by David Kessler, MD
Notes: Kessler is the former head of the FDA and makes a case that based upon both biology and marketing, commercially processed food focuses on adding fats to salts and / or sugars to trigger food addiction and overeating. He has a good description of the problem, but very few solutions other than the few tips in his book.
RR: 4.5/5

Hamilton, by Ron Chernow
Notes: This was the book that inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda to create the musical “Hamilton”. And the amazing story of Hamilton’s rise to the presidency is the story of his time period as much as of him, and of the culture of his time. Even more amazing is that it is true and is a testament to adversity and the rise of the persistent.
RR: 4/5

My Life on the Road, by Gloria Steinem
Notes: This book focuses on the biography of Steinem, including her decades of heavy travel and all the people she has come across (famous or not) in her activism over five decades. It focuses a lot on her parents, especially her father, and is frank about looking back at her struggles with her childhood, her financial struggles, and her feelings about being criticized in the press. A really personal read from a great writer.
RR: 4/5

How Star Wars Conquered the Universe, by Chris Taylor
Notes: This book covers the phenomenon of Star Wars, including how it happened (and almost didn’t happen), and how it’s changed since the first film. This book was fun and a fast read, but strangely devotes many chapters to the more obscure parts of the phenomenon, including translating Star Wars into Navajo, and the 501st Stormtrooper group, while skipping over much of the conflicts with studios, actors, unions, and finances that make up the story of filming the movies.
RR: 4/5

Ragtime, by E.L. Doctorow
Notes: A well written historical novel, with an interesting structure and well-defined characters, some real, some fictional, living in the turn of the century New York. A glimpse into an earlier time, with fascinating subplots and excellent character writing. Definitely a classic of historical fiction for a reason.
RR: 4/5

Fluent Forever, by Gabriel Wyner
Notes: A singer performer who learned a system that worked for teaching himself any language. Using a core vocabulary, and then flashcards to work on reminders, spaced out in time, for building a larger and larger vocabulary in the context of communication. Interesting (and the success of this book has led to an app), but too complex for many people.
RR: 4/5

Identical, by Scott Turow
Notes: An interesting legal thriller of sorts that focuses on an investigation into prison release and a mystery involving DNA. Tightly focused, suspenseful, and has interesting perspectives on using DNA evidence for identity that many have never thought of.
RR: 4/5

Lying by Sam Harris.
Notes: This book is very short, half of it consisting of an essay on the ethics of lying, and the problems of lies, no matter how small, in how others treat you.
RR: 4/5

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life, by Alice Schroeder
Notes: Although I’ve ready many Warren Buffett biographies, this book focuses on the unusual marriage of Buffet and his wife, and his lessons throughout life as to how compounding (“the snowball”) could turn his business investment into a fortune.
RR: 4/5

The Road Less Traveled, by M. Scott Peck
Notes: This book from the 1970s is somewhat famous, and I am certain I have read it long ago. Someone mentioned the book to me, and I took the opportunity to revisit it and read it with new eyes. A strange mix of 70s notions (including Eastern religions and free love) and a strict Christian ethic of going to church weekly and hard work makes for a somewhat watered down psychological theory, but one that still has some truths.
RR: 4/5

Money: How to Play the Game, by Anthony Robbins
Notes: The first book by Anthony Robbins in 15 years or so, this book was triggered by the 2008 financial crisis, his move from California to Florida for tax purposes, and the realization that people don’t have a basic education about financial matters. This is really two books – the first covering basics of investing, which is solid science about how effective compounding is, and how most investment professionals and advisors fail to beat their market index, and the effect of fees on investing. The second half of the book is interviews with star investors, and their method of creating what he calls a “bulletproof portfolio”. That reliance on those “star investors”, and their plans to beat the market, clearly contradicts the first part of the book, which makes it ineffective in its message. Too basic for anyone with a modest knowledge of finance.
RR: 3.5/5

Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul, by Christopher Vaughan and Stuart Brown
Notes: I read this book after reading another book about play, and this book was heavy on psychological studies (understandably considering who the authors are) and impresses on you how humans (and some other animals) have brains that are set up to play. We are more effective, and less depressed, when we make time to play, or make games out of things. For some reason, however, probably the dry writing, I found this book tough to read. It goes over some concepts several times as well. RR: 3.5/5

World War Z, by Max Brooks
Notes: This book, which was made into a movie, is a series of fictional interviews after the fact about a worldwide virus that creates zombies. Written by the son of Mel Brooks, this is less comedic than a real-world look at how viruses can spread and how people behave.
RR: 3.5/5

The Storyteller’s Secret, by Carmine Gallo
Notes: This book was outlined and grew from around a brief Ted talk, with much filler to pad it into a full-sized book. A fairly amateur book that describes how humans respond best to stories, which probably has to do with the psychology involved in our evolution. This book focuses on sales but could have been a better book.
RR: 3.5/5

Savor, by Thich Nhat Hanh
Notes: A book about using meditation techniques to eat better and focus on what you are eating. Co-written with a nutritionist, it is simple, but a good reminder to focus on what you are doing when you are eating, even if the writing is a little dry.
RR: 3.5/5

The Couple Next Door, by Shari Lapena
Notes: A thriller focusing on an incident involving a missing baby and the married couple that left her at home while they went next door briefly to attend a party. With a few moments you can see coming a mile away, and not interesting characters, and too thin a plot.
RR: 3/5

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Notes: A very British novel about a single mother to a young girl genius on her way to a mathematics competition, when their car breaks down, and they are rescued by one of the world’s richest men, who helps them all out, and falls in love with the mother. It relies on many tropes and has poorly written dialogue, even if it has an unsurprising happy ending.
RR: 3/5

The Talisman, by Stephen King
Notes: One of King’s novels written (with another author) during the 1980s and considered by some to be one of his greatest books. The book follows the format of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn in following a young boy and his traveling companion on a quest to find something that may save his mother’s life. Unfortunately, some of the plot is so ridiculous, and some of the asides in the book (including the life of travel of quality cocaine), made this book more of a mess to me.
RR: 3/5

Why Women Have Sex, by Cindy Meston and David Buss.
Notes: An examination of all the evolutionary and psychological reasons related to the title, but the physical and emotional factors and reasoning behind everything related to the act. Fascinating, even if a little boring in this context.
RR: 3/5

Decoding Reality: The Universe as Quantum Information, by Vlatko Vedral
Notes: This book dabbles in a mix of pseudoscience and solid physics and attempts to merge various sciences with the laws of physics, under the author’s theory that everything in the universe is information. Going from economics to biology, philosophy and quantum physics, he often seems to try to hammer existing data into this overall theory.
RR: 3/5

Kildar, by John Ringo
Notes: This is part of a very popular best-selling series of novels aimed primarily at men and tells the story of a Navy Seal who wants to get away from it all in Russia and ends up stumbling upon a Chechnyan Islamic terrorist cell. While assembling a team of locals to train and fight, he ends up rescuing a large number of women from local brothels, buying their freedom, and starts a brewery in an ancient castle.
RR: 2.5/5

The Naked Jape, by Jimmy Carr, and Lucy Greeves
Notes: This book attempts to analyze what makes jokes funny, and goes over several categories of jokes, and several theories on why we laugh. But, as the saying goes, explaining jokes is the least funny thing of all.
RR: 2/5

Three Magic Words, by Uell S. Andersen Notes: Full of typos, but also full of information about how humans evolved from Atlanteans (and Lemurians) and how telekinesis is true.
RR: 1/5

Hope everyone had a great summer! My son and I (and a friend, Christina), visited Rome and Paris, and, along with a very heavy workload, and travel to Boston, Denver, Austin, Nashville, and Seattle, had a great one.

I’m working on my end of the year book list, and will have travel reports and much more coming up.

–Robert

Edinburgh Fringe Review: “She Wolf”

She Wolf review: August 2018

This performance is what you get when smart people get creative.

I visited the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time and was overwhelmed.  Over a thousand performances in hundreds of venues, with little guidance on what quality performances were worth the time and funds? Aside from a few newspaper reviews, I was surprised that there wasn’t a central place for audience members to leave reviews of shows they have seen, with ratings.  What happened to Web 2.0 and the power of the people? While I was in line for a magic show I was seeing, a couple told me to see any of the shows at the Voodoo Rooms, which they said were usually high quality and worth the investment.

And so, I ended up in the audience for Gillian English’s closing night performance of “She Wolf”, a one-woman performance about the life of Margaret of Anjou, and specifically what Shakespeare did to her life’s story in the service of literature.

Even stating that generic summary doesn’t give enough credit for what a creative, intelligent, and highly entertaining show this was.  Ms. English knows her stuff and gives long memorized soliloquies as part of her performance that entirely by rote.  The connection to the source material (Shakespeare’s writings) that inspired this production is made clear.

She starts off with audience interaction, asking what the audience’s favorite Shakespeare plays are, and then goes into the depth of the show, the difficult task, and life of Queen Margaret, what alliances she entered into, and what difficult choices she had to make.  Truly a fascinating history, and a deep look into an interesting life, and she makes it humorous, given the sometimes-dark material.

And Gillian English definitely knows her stuff- asking the audience at what age Margaret would have been married and explaining to us about her marriage to King Henry VI and how he became a catatonic vegetable of sorts, leaving her to rule and be influenced by others.

Eventually, the message begins to sink in – over the years of a patriarchy, women in power are often doomed, to the detriment of society.  And still to this day, we endure a patriarchy structure that doesn’t serve us well.

The performance has only one prop – a sole book on stage, that is titled “Shit Shakespeare Put In My Mouth.” Which is itself a sight gag, although one with a deeper meaning, as Gillian begins to go over all the literary license and changes to the real life of a real woman that Shakespeare made to make a story both more palatable and more commercial for its time.  Shakespeare put Margaret into four of his plays, with various levels of historical accuracy. His takes on her (and errors about her) affects our view of Margaret and the War of the Roses based upon the fictional dialogues that Shakespeare made all those years ago.

Really, this is engagement with an audience at its best.  Realization after realization comes from her quotes, a deep dive into history and a view of a historical figure that both is unjustly accused of a great number of things and did not act irrationally in the face of power as history blames her of, at all.

Seeing an actor perform with such a high level of skill with this material, and both take on history and modern society, be unapologetic about doing so, and lead the audience to all the right conclusions on their own through the material really is genius.  The sexism you see in modern life has been around longer than we like to think.

Our audience roared with laughter and gave many knowing nods at the nature and the structure of this performance.  This takes place over 500 years ago, but seems even more politically savvy and relevant in the arena of modern politics.

One-person performances are really difficult to make entertaining. They put a lot of the burden on the performer to keep audiences engaged.  Gillian English really has a gift.  You feel her passion for the subject, and her highly tuned sense of comedic timing. Her energetic performance makes you feel empathetic to the points of view here and enlightened to a part of literary history that you may have not given thought of or made connections with before.

Talking with Ms. English, she really has a gift for comedic concepts and timing, combined with a deep knowledge of her audience, and of course, the material.  Even the names of her other shows and performances are hilariously funny, and she knows her history and literature. I cannot wait to see her again.

So, here’s my review, in a nutshell, to be posted wherever Edinburgh Fringe audience reviews should be posted. “–Five stars, super talented, highly intelligent and creative, and not to be missed wherever and whenever you can see her perform”.  It truly was the best performance I saw at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe by far.

As a human being on this Earth, I feel the need to both protect others and to assert my freedom.  Those two goals may conflict, but I think that the values of the enlightenment period in history both give us a guideline and insight as to how best to view society, laws, and how best to treat others.

The enlightenment values I am speaking of, are, I think, the following:

1. A skeptical approach to every part of society, towards an improvement of all of our systems.
2. Freedom of speech and freedom of thought;
3. A willingness to allow “bottom-up” movements and ideas to disseminate throughout society, rather than top-down authority.

The books “The Science of Liberty”, by Timothy Ferris, “The Moral Arc”, by Michael Shermer, and particularly the book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature”, by Steven Pinker, all go into much detail about why society improved once those values were developed, and how close adherence to those values make for a much safer, more prosperous, and more fair society.

I also keep thinking about the words of Christopher Hitchens, when he stated that the best way to make a nation prosperous is for that nation to make it as easy as possible for a woman to get an education.  That’s it.  And I think he’s right.  Women that delay marriage and children and are educated help all of society, and make everyone’s life better.

Making it easy for smaller and larger businesses to start up, take on risk, hire employees and pay taxes is also an easy way to help economies of all types around the world, but you would be surprised to see how little that is utilized around the world.

Won a DUI trial today.  It was a difficult case, with a .14/.15% blood alcohol level, almost double the legal limit, plus an accident, in Newport Beach, California. Here you can see the court minutes from the verdict:

Today was the verdict of Not Guilty in the DUI case, rendered at the Newport Beach courthouse.  I enjoy my job as an Orange County DUI Attorney and take my job seriously.

Often, as in this case, I have a sympathetic client.  Here I had a cancer surgeon, who had emigrated from Russia to Canada, and became a resident here in Orange County, California.  He was involved in an accident when he was looking for where to turn and had an unfortunate solo car accident when he hit a light pole during a turn.

The law requires that each element of a case be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, which is where sometimes the prosecution’s evidence doesn’t meet the high requirements of that legal burden and standard.

The law makes a notation in the jury instruction that bad driving by itself cannot be used to prove the DUI.  As the instruction notes:

“The manner in which a person drives is not enough by itself to establish whether the person is or is not under the influence of (an alcoholic beverage/ [or] a drug) [or under the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and a drug]. However, it is a factor to be considered, in light of all the surrounding circumstances, in deciding whether the person was under the influence.”

2016 Reading List – All the Books I read in 2016

This year I ended up reading 49 books, and enjoyed both fiction and nonfiction from a variety of areas.  We may all, as a society, have shorter attention spans, but this year I found it harder to get through longer books (one book below is over 800 pages), and instead of the 100 books a year I’ve enjoyed in the past, I only made it through the books below, (perhaps  due to social media and other influences).  If you’re interested, I have a list at the bottom of this note with links to the books I read in 2015 (34 books), in 2014 (45 books), in 2013 (97 books), in 2012 (100 books), in 2011 (32 books), 2011 (21 books), and in 2009 (19 books).  (This list was delayed because I had deleted the original file listing my reviews and list of books read, so there might be one or two that have been forgotten).  What books did you enjoy this past year? What books do you recommend for 2017? What books should I avoid? I love your comments.  Thanks for reading.

The Kind Worth Killing, by Peter Swanson

Notes: This fiction murder mystery, about two mysterious strangers that meet in a First-Class airport lounge, and hear each other’s stories of unhappiness, has many layers to it. The characters involved are interesting, clearly defined, and with motivations that are clearly written. Although this story was inspired by a familiar Alfred Hitchcock story, it takes some fascinating twists, and slowly reveals more about each character skillfully, and holds attention up to the somewhat abrupt and surprise ending. I enjoyed this book.

Robert’s Rating (RR): 5/5

Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, by David Meachem

Notes: George H.W. Bush was unique among US Presidents, in that he kept a daily diary, with commentary, of each day that he was in the White House. Those diaries were used here as a starting point for Pulitzer prize winning author and historian Meachem, along with interviewing every living president, and every living member of the Bush cabinets and family, along with his political opponents. The writing here is honestly top notch, and the interviews are handled skillfully and tell a chronological story of a fairly sensitive man with incredible character, emotional moments, and living through and being a part of many of the biggest events of the world in the last century. While Bush Sr.’s unflattering thoughts about his son’s cabinet, mostly Cheney and Rumsfield, got all the press when this book came out last year, there are some other undiscovered gems, including how Bush Sr was surprised when Bush Jr converted to religion, and a story about how GWB (Jr) was drunk and in an argument with Jeb Bush, and then challenged Bush Sr to a fist fight ‘mano a mano’. The story of going out of his way to support Lyndon Johnson against his party, and remove himself from the NRA and move towards civil rights and environmental policies against his party, says volumes. Although this was an over 800 page book, the writing and significance of this biography kept pages turning until it was done.

RR: 5/5

All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr

Notes: This book has a fascinating premise and a brilliant structure – it’s a fiction book set during the years of Nazi occupation in France, and involves both a young German boy fascinated by radio, and the relationship between a crafty father and his daughter, who is blind, and their life and conflicts. With a few twists, it is well told and a thrill to read. I couldn’t not give it my highest rating for the crafting of this expertly told story.

RR: 5/5

Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela

Notes: This autobiography is amazing in so many ways, not least of that it was mainly written during a long prison sentence for activities against the state of South Africa. Most of Mandela’s early years I did not know about, but I learned in detail what the practice of law in segregated firms, big and small, was like in South Africa during apartheid, and the search for meaning in what Mandela was doing before and after his decades long prison sentence. The fact that he rose from prisoner to leader of the entire nation is a testament to his spirit and to the massive changes that took place in that country, in part because of him.

RR: 5/5

11/22/63: A Novel, by Stephen King

Notes: This book is part deep reminiscence by King of what it was like to be in New England in the 1950s, down to every detail, and part character study. Although it certainly would be described as science fiction, since it involves a man who plans to travel back in time to kill Lee Harvey Oswald before he could kill John F. Kennedy, the time travel element is not the focus, and it takes a long time to get to the action where Kennedy is involved. Knowing King’s biography, this must be a deeply biographical book, but the characters involved, and the skillful writing, and the expert building of tension again and again until the ending, make this an excellent read. When you change the past, the present doesn’t always go the way you want, in many aspects, and this book makes that heartbreakingly clear.

RR: 5/5

Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Notes: This very personal nonfiction book is a series of essays, written as a letter from the author to his son, warning him of the dangers growing up as a black man in America. It examines the author’s views on race in America, and American black history, and how that history has sometimes cost black bodies and lives. Delving into his time at Howard University and in Paris, and focusing on more current examples of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and other ugly parts of life as a black man, including the reality of mass incarceration, and police brutality, as history and as present day dangers. as part of its foundation. A powerful book, although not as tightly focused due to the essay style as it might have been.

RR: 5/5

Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior, by Geoffrey Miller

Notes:  I enjoyed reading the book and always enjoy Miller’s appearances on podcasts, radio, and on television specials. Miller is an insightful and talented writer, and uses his background as a professor in explaining branding in life and in human history. Branding creates associations to a product so that consumers pay more for the brand than for the actual features of the product. Being associated with a brand makes the intellectual property – the trademarks, logos, and brand name, that brings in the sales, not the commodity itself.  At length, he documents how people use possessions to signal their properties to potential mates. Humans waste resources just like all other animals to indicate fitness for mating. High maintenance, impractical objects such as expensive suits and cars (or fashion, shoes and purses), act as expensive signals of fitness via conspicuous waste, precision, or reputation, like human versions of the peacock’s tail. Like the book I read a few years ago, 59 seconds, Miller describes the “Big 6” characteristics that explain most of the variation between all personalities: general intelligence, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, extraversion, and stability. He goes through a few of these characteristics in detail and argues for the superiority of the Big 6 model over demographics and urges marketers (whether one person looking for a companion, or a large-scale company looking to increase sales of a product), to refine marketing through those eyes.

RR: 5/5

Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superatheletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Heard Of, by Christopher McDougall

Notes: This is written as almost three separate books. The first book is the author’s attempt to describe his attempts to become a runner, and all the pain that journey took him through, and his assignment trying to find and write about the Taraumara Indian tribe. The second book in a book describes the Taramaura, who are known as ultra-ultra-marathon runners, from the Copper Canyon area of Mexico. The drunken runs of hundreds of miles, day and night, of this tribe, seemed hard to believe, although the stories of life in the tribe, if true, are amazing. I find it difficult to believe that this tribe is both super-secret and do not talk to strangers, and also host several international marathons and events where they have people all over the world live and party with them. The third book is the most interesting – it describes the benefits of barefoot running, as opposed to using running shoes. And it concludes with the fact that humans can outlast and outrun any other animal on Earth. Humans have variable breathing, unlike most other species, and don’t have to stop when they overheat, unlike cheetahs and horses and reptiles. The science here is certainly cherry picked to fit the conclusion, and some of the Americans that travel to and run with the Taraumara seemed annoying (and in fact may have been). This book apparently started the entire rush in the shoe industry to make natural foot running shoes, and inspired an entire generation of runners to run barefoot.

4.5/5

The One World Schoolhouse, by Salman Khan

Notes: A book about what’s wrong with education and how to reform it must be controversial. But it’s hard to argue against the concepts in this book. Sal Khan has an amazing story, from starting a video to teach his niece one basic math concept, to starting a series of videos, filmed from his closet with his own money. When he nearly went broke with his award-winning series of videos, Silicon Valley took notice, and investors, plus notably Bill Gates, made a massive investment. Salman Khan wants the world’s students to learn concepts in all required subjects 100%, not just a passing 80%, and wants that education to be free, and available all over the world. The goal is to give every student a world class education, anywhere, anytime, for free. This is a wonderful and optimistic book that first goes through the history of his idea of an Academy based upon technology, the successes to date (one inner city school raised grades 40%, and an entire country in Africa became world leaders in math and science from his techniques). He then goes into the history of how our education system, along with its most famous attributes – the lecture by a teacher, the testing, breaks and vacations, came to be, past to present. He has interesting theories about keeping students in loops with a variety of teaching techniques until a student gets something completely, allowing teachers to guide what each student needs to learn on their own, and teaching students in a class to tutor each other and become teachers. It also seems a little light on examples as to internships, for example, as he only uses the examples of three tech companies, and the internship or apprenticeship model may not work in all industries. But it’s hard to argue with his common-sense conclusions about the known issues across the whole learning landscape. This could lead to a revolution in education, or at least some very promising experiments with specific schools, that could finally blend education and technology and especially change the developing world.

RR: 5/5

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo

Notes: This book was a best seller in Japan, and became a bestseller here when translated into English. And, while this book is very Japanese in what it discusses and what it proposes, it was a very enjoyable read and made me think about everything in the office and the home, from papers to clothing. Her technique of holding each item and asking “does this bring me joy” is a little silly, but she has some very specific techniques for each item of clutter in your home and I ended up with a new understanding of why people keep items and how to minimalize everything in my life.

RR: 5/5

A Man on The Moon, by Andrew Chaiken

Notes: I have had this book over 18 years, and my father claimed that it was the best book he’s ever read. Only now, for several reasons, did I get around to reading it. And it is an excellent read, providing some detail about the beginnings of the Apollo project, from its first tragedy, to the last landing on the moon, while discussing what an amazing and important achievement it was, why it was important, and takes in and conveys all details about each mission to the moon, what they meant, and why we did it. The research is impressive, and I can see why this book inspired the series “From the Earth to The Moon”, and has made Chaikin popular on the lecture circuit for space exploration. He’s a great writer.

RR: 5/5

Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill

Notes: This is a classic, and I may have read this long ago, but, as it is a short read, but an important one. This has stood the test of time as literature for almost 100 years now – long enough to be out of patent, so there are many versions on the market at present. But the clear common sense advice – you become what you focus and think about most – stands the test of time, and is always a good reminder.

RR: 5/5

4/5

The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins

Notes: This book was enjoyable, and even might have rated higher if I hadn’t read “The Kind Worth Killing”, above. I read this novel before it became a film, but wasn’t as impressed by the movie as I was with the novel. The book is told by several narrators in the first-person voice, and that, plus the fact that there are spouses and facts that link each (and some names and descriptions that by design are very similar), as well as the fact that it takes place in suburban England (along with British terms of speech), make for a confusing plot. Some sections you may want to re-read. However, I found this a well-crafted crime mystery and an enjoyable, and recommended, read.

RR: 4/5

The Science of Liberty by Timothy Ferris

Notes: While Ferris usually writes on big issue science subjects, “The Science of Liberty” is completely different. You will not find much in the way of astronomy or physics, but lots about the big thinkers from the Renaissance forward. Those that published and changed government during the age of enlightenment are the focus of this book. Depending on your politics, you may find issue with his conclusions, but the book is well researched and makes no huge leaps of logic. This is more “liberty” than “science”, and more “history” than science also, but documents how each scientific change made. The hypothesis here, supported with examples and writings from the past, is that individual liberties and scientific inquiry are historically and inseparably linked, and that together they form the principal engine of human progress. Where science is free to be practiced, liberties increase, and where that practice and research stops, societies, from communists, to religions, to monarchies, dictatorships, fascism, dies.  An interesting book, well presented.

RR: 4/5

The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships, by Neil Strauss

Notes: This book takes some very sharp turns. Based upon what he has learned about his relationships, including his relationships with his mother, significantly, and his father, this true story follows Strauss into the world of rehab, psychology, what patterns people use based upon their parents to find relationships, why that leads to mistakes again and again, and then his efforts to find what works best for him in relationships, including experiments in non-monogamy, building a harem, becoming celibate, and eventually getting married. Not for everyone, but an honest and wild ride here, with some deep truths that will make you think, especially in the first third of the book.

RR: 4/5

Attached, by Amir Levine MD and Rachel Heller

Notes: I enjoyed reading this book, as it does seem to ring a few truths. I’m still not sure how solid the psychology is here. My problem, if any, with this book is that it might be an example of a new book creating a new symptom, which seems to be the pattern in pop psychology books every few years. This book asks you to look at other potential relationship partners through a specific filter, and proposes that some people are relationship avoidant, and others have an anxiety and attachment personality, and the mismatch of these two styles (which the authors suggest comes completely from your relationship with your parents) causes most relationship problems. We all know relationships, or have been in relationships, where one party avoids someone, or is overly attached to someone, or vice versa. So, that seems to be somewhat of a simplification, but true. But whether matching those serves to make for better relationships didn’t seem to have much data presented to make it a proven truth, even if it is undeniably helpful. The book also focuses on looking for a relationship more than being helpful to someone that is in one.

RR: 4/5

An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist, by Richard Dawkins

Notes: Dawkins details his childhood and early years. I did not know that he grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, but this book describes his childhood in detail. The book describes his developing curiosity about the natural world, for many pages, as well as the design and results of several of his research projects, which unfortunately bog down the interest of the reader in details. His experiences at Berkeley, and Oxford, and the stunning success of The Selfish Gene as a best seller when he was in his late 20s, are described, interesting, and well written.

RR: 4/5

Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul, and, of course, Surfing, by Laird Hamilton

Notes: Laird Hamilton is a famous big wave surfer, who lives in Hawaii with his famous volleyball athlete wife Gabrielle Reese. And he is an interesting guy. Describing how he grew up on a farm, and peppered with descriptions about him from his friends, as well as nutrition (lots of meatloaf) and workout techniques, this is also a discussion about how he balances his life, and keeps his mind relaxed and focused. Although this is one part biography, one  “how great Laird is”, and one part self-help book, you can’t help but like and admire him and his advice.

RR: 4/5

Life is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment, by Peter Buffett

Notes: Peter Buffett is the son of Warren Buffett, (and a musician), and he wrote this book, it seems, in part to destroy the myth that being Buffett’s son meant he was privileged (as Warren Buffet has written elsewhere, he only gives his children $10,000 per year to encourage them to be independent (and because that is the gift tax limitation). The main message here is to “forge your own life”, and not live for other people. As he states, enjoying what you do in every moment outweighs any material goods or success, and material success should never be your goal.

RR: 4/5

The Success Principles, by Jack Canfield

Notes: Jack Canfield is a Southern California local and is often at Newport Beach business events. He is the co-author of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books, and as you can imagine, sometimes has some cheesy, but motivational, advice. This book is very solid on common sense reminders of what makes for success and what makes you achieve your goals faster. Well done and concise summary of other success principles.

RR: 4/5

So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love, by Cal Newport

Notes: As I have noted in the past, many business books take one simple principle and pad it to a full-length book. That means that there is a lot of fluff and filler, but still a good idea that could be expressed in a much shorter length. This book is a perfect example. The central premise of this book is this: the life advice to follow your passion is terrible advice. The book then goes into how very few people at a young age know enough about life to choose something to be passionate about, and even if they do, they are bound to be wrong, at length. The world needs both garbage collectors and creative jobs with an impact on the world, but people tend to go into one and not the other. The author premises that the only way to get something valuable is to offer something in return. And the only way to do that, in turn, is to master a difficult skill. This book also argues that you must develop what it calls “career capital”, which comprises skills, relationships and a body of work, which can be a long and arduous process.

RR:4/5

Zag: The Number One Strategy of High Performance Brands, by Marty Neumeier

Notes: “When everybody zigs, zag,” is the message of this book, as to brand strategy. This is a simple book and short read, and the idea here is that in an extremely cluttered marketplace, traditional differentiation is no longer enough—today companies need “radical differentiation” to create lasting value for their shareholders and customers.

RR: 4/5

E=MC2, the Biography of an Equation, by David Bodanis

Notes: This book looks at the history of the famous equation, and the people and science behind developing the ideas that stand behind each side of the equals sign. The book is good and goes into the personalities that developed the atomic bomb and contemporaries of Einstein at the time of development of relativity. If you know nothing about the equation you will learn something.

RR: 4/5

Quantum Memory Power, by Dominic O’Brien

Notes: This is a very practical book. Dominic O’Brien is the world memory champion, and this book is filled with memory exercises, and game, and the memory exercises he goes over do work, and they’re not that difficult to learn. I wish this had a bigger focus on remembering names, which is always a challenge for me, but otherwise this book is great for teaching your brain to retain more information.

RR: 4/5

Six Thinking Hats, by Edward DeBono

Notes: This simple book has been around forever, and is somewhat famous in the corporate world in certain circles. I had never read it before this year. The idea here is found in the title, and it urges people considering a decision to look at it from six different angles. It works best when you explain to team members what each of the six roles are and then play act to get each of the opinions and point of views out, but even as one person considering a decision, this could force you to set aside irrational thoughts and take a decision through each filter and point of view, one by one, to come up with a better decision than just a pro/con list. Some of the information in the beginning and end might be a little outdated, but I found this book helpful and interesting.

RR: 4/5

Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future, by Michio Kaku

Notes: Professor Kaku, teaches theoretical physics at the City University of New York, and is famous for his television appearances, as well as his other books. Here he leads readers through what is the leading current theory of the state of the universe – that evidence is pointing to the multiverse–a world made up of multiple universes, of which ours is but one. Our universe is expanding, which is leading it to cool and eventually freeze, but Kaku believes that we may be able to focus on leaving for another universe, or time warp back into our own past. Most of this is pure speculation. But the arguments, the writing, and the details, are highly interesting.

RR: 4/5

How We Learn, by Benedict Carey

Notes: I found this book both important, and also extremely dry reading. “How We Learn” is focused on the process of enhancing and exercising learning. The book describes how learning happens only when we memorize, let time pass, rememorize, build routines, and then practice retrieving the information that is memorized. Carey also describes how sleep plays a vital role in our brain function and memorization, and can greatly enhance learning and might be the key to learning things thoroughly.

RR: 4/5

How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, by Mohsin Hamid

Notes: This book was recommended by a friend, and while the title sounds like a self-help book, this is a clever fiction book. Written by a narrator to instruct you, the protagonist, how to get rich, this describes growing up in Pakistan and falling in love, and dealing with ethical decisions, a love triangle, poverty, and company scandal. No one in this book is particularly likeable, but the style in which this story is told is highly interesting, and follows the reader through to the death of the main character. Only 240 pages, but a good quick fiction read.

RR: 4/5

3/5

You Can Be a Stock Market Genius, by Joel Greenblatt

Notes: I had read Greenblatt’s “The Little Book that Beats the Market”, and I like his writing style and his insights about the market. This very short book is a little more advanced, and presumes that you know financial world lingo and certain stock selection techniques (or what a value stock vs a growth stock is), but contains lots of practical advice if you want to try investing in the stock market on your own.

RR: 3/5

The Dinner, by Herman Koch

Notes: This novel is scheduled to be a motion picture this year, a fact I didn’t learn until after finishing this book. The book focuses on two couples at a trendy fancy restaurant, with interludes describing their dinner as well as focusing on the interactions between the four of them, and certain related family members. This book was translated from Dutch, and has descriptions and dialogue of each character that is both cool and collected on the outside, but seething and hateful on the inside, as well as descriptions that might require knowledge of Dutch culture to truly understand. The book itself has a plot and an ending that is somewhat shocking, but overall, except for some quirky dialogue, entertaining and interesting.

RR: 3/5

The Quiet Man: The Indispensable Presidency of George H.W. Bush, by John Sununu

Notes: This nonfiction book is a telling of the years that John Sununu acted as George H.W. Bush’s chief of staff. As such, it must have a certain bias to it, but Sununu has some interesting facts about running the White House. He details the philosophy of Bush, Sr. – That no one in politics should ever brag about anything, but let your work and your record speak for itself. The friendships and relationships that Bush had cultivated, and all the diplomatic activity, especially in Germany, Poland, Russia, and throughout Eastern Europe, during the sudden fall of the Soviet Union, was fascinating, both politically and as a story. The story of the “no new taxes” pledge and the conflict with the budget law requiring sequester of the government was also interesting, and Sununu seems to blame the media a little too much for the handling of that issue. The creation of the “Points of Light Foundation” (which merged with the Clinton Foundation) and how that came about, plus the 100 hour Iraq war and invasion, was fascinating. Sununu emphasizes throughout the fact checking that went into this book. Overall, a dry for some but interesting look at a slice of history.

RR: 3/5

Get the Life You Want: The Secrets to Quick and Lasting Life Change, by Richard Bandler

Notes: This is one of the books that popularized Neuro-linguistic Programming, and made for the rise of Anthony Robbins, among others. This book describes various mental and physical change techniques, and then takes you through application to many common problems. A little new-agey for my tastes, but can be helpful for some.

RR: 3/5

Succeed: How We Can Achieve Our Goals, by Heidi Grand Halverson

Notes: Halvorson is a psychologist, writer for Psychology Today and assistant professor of psychology. Her book tackles attainment of goals in every area of life from relationships to sports. This book rather tediously goes over many academic studies on self-esteem, motivation, and pursuit of goals. Like Wiseman’s 59 seconds, Halvorson says that you should not imagine yourself achieving goals, but rather see yourself defining and working towards a difficult to achieve result. “Don’t visualize success,” she warns. “Instead visualize the steps you will take to succeed.” Dry writing but a nugget of truth in this book.

RR: 3/5

Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living, by Krista Tippett

Notes: Tippett is the host of a popular NPR show and podcast on religion, which I listen to. I had this book recommended by someone and was looking forward to it. The best part are the interviews with people she has had on her show in the past. The worst part is her name dropping without further discussion as to how that fits into her overall themes. Her book challenges readers to let go of assumptions, but since the book doesn’t seem to have much focus, (which can understandably come from trying to string together interviews with musicians and cosmologists, artists and preachers), you may wonder where the various interviews are going, along with her narration. There is some discussion of science, politics and philosophy as well as religion, but I had hoped for more with this book. One thing about her writing and the presentation of the various viewpoints here, is that everything is very, very upbeat and positive.

RR: 3/5

The Space Chronicles, by Neil Degrasse Tyson

Notes: This book is a collection of essays, some of which have appeared on in interviews, in articles, Tyson’s twitter account, and elsewhere. The opening essay was mind blowing to me, discussing how NASA doesn’t do what the world thinks it does – space exploration to further science. Instead, and he documents this in some detail, it is a massive political agency and jobs program, designed to repeat experiments that have already been done, employ people in the largest population states where voters exist, to keep them employed in jobs in the space industry, or in the case of Ohio, where over 80% of astronauts are from, a swing state that both sides of the aisle are competing to give prestige to. Unfortunately, the rest of the book, much of which are just his tweets from his twitter account, or transcripts of talk show appearances, aren’t as impactful as the strong start.

RR: 3/5

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

Notes: On the other hand, McCullough, a famous biographer of personalities in American history, implies that the fact that the Wright Brothers, who were from Ohio, created the first military flight school, and because astronauts came from military flight, it makes sense that most of them are from Ohio. This book made me realize that I didn’t know half of the story of the Wright Brothers, including the obsession with testing and experimentation in design. The story of their successes and failures was fascinating, and as always with McCullough, well written. Many facts you may not know about the Wright Brothers appear in this entertaining read.

RR: 3/5

Particle Physics- An Introduction, by Frank Close

Notes: If you’ve ever been interested in what makes up individual atoms, and why they act so strange, this book is a great starting point. As you might expect, the material is a little dry, and this book never has any innovative teaching technique to explain each portion of the atomic elements in a way that’s easily understood. As other authors have noted, the model that most people know about the atom, that is on images and t-shirts, of the atom as particles orbiting around a nucleus, is wrong. This book isn’t entertaining, but it covers all the basics.

RR: 3/5

Brand Against the Machine: How to Build Your Brand, Cut Through the Marketing Noise, and Stand Out from the Competition, by John Michael Morgan

Notes: This book is written in a casual style, and invites people to take another look at branding. Branding is often looked at as a matter of logos and marketing materials. But focusing on a structure that can give your customers an emotional connection is probably more important. This book is short, and focuses on principles of branding, and is a great start for people that are looking to make the most of a new business.

RR: 3/5

Denial: Self-Deception, False Beliefs, and the Origins of the Human Mind by Ajit Varki and Danny Brower

Notes: The authors of this book met at a conference and had come up with similar ideas. Although one of them died suddenly of a heart attack, the other fleshed out the idea and created an interesting book. This book has research and documentation supporting an interesting hypothesis of how modern humans developed both (a) the ability to understand that they will die; and (b) immediately use denial to make this a benefit to natural selection through evolution. The authors here do a good job of making their case, although this is not an area that can be double blind tested or be subjected to much rigor as to alternative hypothesis. But it does explain why our brains act the way they do, and what value that had as humans developed.

RR: 3/5

True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor, by David Mamet

Notes: You may know David Mamet from his work as a playwright and producer of theater plays, or from his scripts and films. This is an older book, for actors, that seems to be mainly a critique of method acting. “The actor is onstage to communicate the play to the audience,” and Mamet invites actors not to do more. Developing good voice skills, good body skills, will do more than trying to “inhabit” or “interpret” a role. Along with this focus, there is much discussion on how to best handle auditions, not become self-absorbed, and to learn to relax.

RR: 2/5

King Warrior Magician Lover by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette

Notes: This is a book all about male stereotypes, and given that there are other books written for men, examining other similar male stereotypes in greater number, there may be overlap between the four selected here and others. In general, this is an examination on how others see men and how men see themselves, and how they often cause conflict, confusion, overlap, and purpose. An interesting read, but somewhat simplifies some more complex psychology, and could have gone into the evolutionary and cultural history of each stereotype more. This could have examined interesting fairy tales and / or historical examples, but is told in a drier fashion.

RR: 2/5

The Art of Non-Fiction, by Ayn Rand

Notes: This book, by the noted author of Atlas Shrugged, is in part a biography, and in part advice on presenting non-fiction in ways that are interesting. Unfortunately, the book is not interesting, in that it is the transcript of a lecture given by Rand that was never meant to be a book.

RR: 2/5

My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H.W. Bush

Notes: This book was written by the daughter of George Bush Sr. (Did you even know he had a daughter?) It has some anecdotes about the family, but in general is too short and too uninteresting (and by virtue of that relationship, likely too biased) to be of much interest. While there were a few facts here that made the book unique, none of them seemed important enough to warrant an entire book.

RR: 2/5

The Brain Fog Fix, by Dr. Mike Dow

Notes: I was interested in reading this book. The book discusses both diet and exercise, and is heavily into supplements. Some recommendations, like the admonition to “eat fish at every meal”, might sound promising, but upon reflection, it does depend on what type of fish (mercury poisoning and toxicity is very real), and the way the fish was raised also is a factor. Lots of the supplements and recommendations here are unproven, and some don’t even seem to be common sense.

RR: 2/5

Keeping it Real (Quantum Gravity) by Justina Robson

Notes: I’m almost embarrassed to have read the next two books, but they were from an author recommended by a good friend as mindless fiction. This first book is about special agent Lila Black who is a cyborg (yeah, ugh), who is constantly going into combat mode. She is in love with a rock star, who is an elf (yeah, ugh), and lead singer of a rock band, and has to fight demons and work with fairies (yeah, ugh), with an ending that depends on so much magic that it doesn’t even make sense. Not that any of it would make much sense anyway.

RR: 1/5

Selling Out, by Justina Robson

Notes: Proving I can be a glutton for punishment, in the second book in the series, Lila Black (again, the cyborg and special agent) has an elf necromancer that lives inside her, as a cutesy narrator describing what is going on throughout the novel. Her mission here is to investigate a “quantum bomb explosion” and learn how her boyfriend went to hell (yeah, ugh) and become part demon (yeah, double ugh). Her other identity requires her to just go to fancy parties. Skip.

RR: 1/5

Swallowing Darkness, by Lauren Hamilton

Notes: This is another fantasy fiction, about a woman who becomes queen of the fairies, and is the most beautiful and fair and nonviolent person in the land. Until she begins stabbing people with their own sword (seriously). My first draft of this book list had actual quotes that make no sense directly from the book, but since that was deleted, and I have no interest in reopening that book, those must be lost forever. Fiction was not good to me this year due to books like this.

RR: 1/5

Dry: A Memoir, by Augustin Burroughs

Notes: Burroughs is the author of the book “Running with Scissors”, which I have not read, but is about his childhood. And from the glimpses in this autobiographical book, his childhood was horrible. There is a certain type of biographical non-fiction that deals with persons and cultures outside of the norm – poor children growing up in other countries, or black youth struggling in the inner city, or other cultures or languages that are interesting and profound. This seems to be trying to achieve that, but since its subject is primarily about addiction (in this case, the author’s alcohol, cocaine, and heroin addictions), and his struggles to find love in the gay community, avoid AIDS, and deal with death around him, it could be a profound glimpse into another world. I support the catharsis and documentation of life experiences after a struggle. But seeing the author relapse again and again, and not even seem to care who he hurt or if he were to die from his addiction, was a tough read. I read all the way through, but the discussion of 12 step programs, and gay health practices, and not even caring about drugs or alcohol but going back to them again and again for something to do, was not inspiring, not interesting past the first time, and even depressing. I wish Burroughs well, and I’m sorry he must deal with so much death and addiction without progress.

RR: 1/5

2015 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2015/

2014 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2014/

2013 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2013/

2012 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2012/

2011 Reading List:http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2011/

2010 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2010/

2009 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2009/

2009 was another great year for me and books – enjoyed reading 19 books (not counting several additional audiobooks), and really learned a lot, good and bad, from each of them. I discovered that I can juggle more than one book at a time (not recommended), and I really miss the deep connection with the love of reading when I don’t have a book in my hand (or briefcase). An appeal for help: I’m thinking of starting a book club – if anyone is interested, please let me know!

Reading Journal

Books I’ve read or am Reading

Einstein, by Walter Isaacson

Started: June, 2009

Notes: Very interesting book, although somewhat dry. Had some interesting facts about Einstein’s personal life that were not otherwise known. Has a discussion of Einstein’s complex and misunderstood religious views, but that part of the book is much much too short, as is the brush about Einstein’s formative observation of the policies of Nazi Germany.

Finished: December, 2009

Everyman, by Phillip Roth (Fiction)

Started: December, 2009

Notes: A story about the life and health of a man, a jeweler obsessed with watches from a young age, and contains interesting musings on death and family, infidelity and is told in a casual, insightful style.

Finished:

Good to Great, by Jim Collins

Started: July, 2009

Notes: I am convinced that the data allegedly presented as hard science is pseudo-science and makes “just so stories” about the value of great leaders (what he calls level 5 leaders). Almost all of the companies profiled went straight into the ground.

Finished: December, 2009

48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene

Started: October, 2009

Notes: Great stories from history about power, although often contradictory. The stories, most of them unknown, are truly fascinating and inspiring.

Finished: November, 2009

The 50th Law, by Robert Greene and 50 Cent

Started: November, 2009

Notes: Everything I didn’t know about 50 Cent, but also very much a treatise on independence, and doing your own thing in accordance with your own rules. “momentum in life comes from increased fluidity, a willingness to try more, to move in a less constricted fashion. “It might seem that intense feelings of love, hate, or anger can be used to impel you forward on some project, but that is an illusion. Such emotions give you a burst of energy that falls quickly and leaves you as low as you were high. Rather, you want a more balanced emotional life, with fewer highs and lows. This not only helps you keep moving and overcoming petty obstacles, but it also affects people’s perceptions of you. They come to see you as someone who has grace under pressure, a steady hand, and they will turn to you as a leader.

Finished:

How to Live on 24 Hours A Day, by Arnold Bennett,

Started: October, 2009

Notes: 1910 book about the value of reading and self improvement. Short, but really a gem. Author recommends avoiding small talk at pubs or with family and to make yourself a better person by reading the works of great men, starting with Marcus Aurelius.

Finished Nov. 16, 2009

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, by Benjamin Franklin

Started Nov 4, 2009

Notes: Fascinating how much travel was done in the 18th century. Early on Franklin talks about being an atheist, but afraid of saying so because of what others would think.

Finished

100 Ways to Succeed/Make Money, by Tom Peters

Started: October 30, 2009

Notes: Short blurbs, sometimes doesn’t even make sense. Information repeated elsewhere that is relevant about the value of having great customer service, preparation, an image, etc. Peters is big on knowing Twitter, tech, etc., which makes tons of sense, and also learning about China. Very very different from other Tom Peters books – almost makes you wonder if he really wrote this book. “Hipness is the only asset that matters.”—Paul Saffo, futurist, on Apple

Finished:

Flipping the Funnel, by Seth Godin

Started: October, 2009

Notes: A very fun read, full of interesting concepts and new ways of looking at business and how to get “raving fans”.

Finished: December, 2009

The Miracle of Mindfulness, by Thich Nhat Hanh

Started: 2008

Notes: Based on original vietnamese notes from the 1960s, with very much filler from other authors. Somewhat advanced, although Hanh’s stories about monastery life, and Tolstoy’s story about the Emperor, are gems. A description from a third party about a speech during the Vietnam War that was interrupted by an angry audience member is also valuable as a lesson about breath meditation.

Finished: November 30, 2009.

After the Ectasy, the Laundry, by Jack Kornfield

Started: November, 2009

Notes: Kornfield’s writing is really so, so dry. He has a few (too few) humorous anecdotes, and he has some great stories from classic buddhism’s texts. Some great insights here.

Finished:

Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth

Started: November, 2008

Notes: The parts in India are the best. Really a great primer on why people meditate and what the benefits are (and the problems). A strong opinion on antidepressants, and great stories of love and self deprecation. Unique ways of looking at things, including this quote: Everywhere you go in the world, you’ll see some of the same stuff- the African guys selling knock off handbags, the Guatemalan band playing “I’d rather be a sparrow than a snail”, and “no anorexic or bulimic supermodel can ever appear skinnier than an indian teen boy, whose necks sprout of of their white dress shirt school uniforms like a lone flower in a vase.”

Finished: December, 2009.

The Now Habit, by Neil Fiore

Started: January, 2008

Notes: An excellent discussion about how the mind rebels against perceived hard work, perceptions of projects that have too much at stake, and the value of reframing projects into small steps that can just be started (the finishing will take care of itself). The book revolves around the idea of an “unschedule”, and breaking work down into 25 minute increments that can just be started. Making leisure time a priority will make the time you are working more valuable.

Finished: December, 2009

Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash on your Passion, by Gary Vaynerchuk

Started: November, 2009

Notes: Not sure if Gary is crazy or just really really enthusiastic. His story is amazing, and he might suffer from success retroanalyzing as to why everything he touched is successful (I just made up that term). You can’t help but get infected with his great energy and his story is certainly inspiring for how the web can build a multi million dollar business from business cards to wine, if you know what to look for, know how to deeply infuse your passion into what you do, and can act on new opportunities as they arise.

Finished:

A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle

Started: March, 2008

Notes: Love the factually accurate talk about the rise of flowers and the fall of dinosaurs. I wanted to like this book, but the narrative is not terribly cohesive or helpful. There are always nuggets in a book like this, but I was hoping that this book would be much better.

Finished: December, 2009

The Courage to be Rich, by Suze Orman

Started: December, 2009

Notes: More aggressive than her previous works, Suze writes with an angry tone, spurring the reader towards action.

Finished:

Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell

Started: January, 2009

Notes: When you start determines success – more wealth, more billionaires were created by men born between 1830 and 1835 than ever again (to capitalize on the wealth created after the Civil War). Most current self made billionaires were born between 1950 and 1955 – because they were of college age when the computer revolution was occurring. Like all of Gladwell’s books, my criticism is that he bases all of his ideas on anecdotes – which makes him sometimes a good storyteller, but lacks data, research, or the heart of the scientific method. As a result, mistakes uncovered by data analysis, like Leavitt in Freakonomics, embarasses Gladwell, who doesn’t do the hard work, i.e., crunching the data. It’s sort of fashionable to bash Gladwell now for his glaring errors (read yet another article today), but he is a great writer.

Finished: December, 2009

The E Myth Revisted, by Michael Gerber

Started: September, 2007

Notes: A simple but amazing book, with the following revelations: (1) Most people start small businesses because they love to do something in particular; (2) Most people fail in businesses because they don’t know how to manage and lead the business in new directions as needed; (3) Most franchises focus on the procedure, not the people, and succeed by that. Businesses need to focus on best practices for absolutely everything, focus on the consumer, and test everything and train based on a well written and researched procedure manual and training.

Finished: January, 2008

The Internet Entrepreneur, by Mitch Morris

Started: December, 2009

Notes: What a disappointment. Someone gave me this book, but I felt ripped off and a little angry that this self published (and beautifully bound and printed) book is actually a giant advertisement for a downloaded course that the author hopes you’ll spend thousands on. Boo.

Finished: December, 2009

Flipping the Funnel, by Seth Godin

Started: October, 2009

Notes: A short book, but a great read, on how advertising and marketing has changed in the digital web age. When everything you do can be all over the internet, contains an urge to control that flow by being different, and making sure that everything you do creates “raving fans”.

Finished: November, 2009

A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson

Started: March, 2009

Notes: Fascinating tidbits about all sciences, including much that even I didn’t know. Everything in this book is told with a healthy sense of (mainly British) humor, and is absolutely fascinating. Probably doesn’t live up to the “everything” in the title, but the history of the past 200 years of science is well told for each of the sciences.

Finished: December, 2009

The Four Hour Workweek Expanded Edition

Started : December, 2009

Notes: An amazing book. Draws from (steals from) many other sources, and sometimes is self congratulatory and all over the place, but the 40% of the book about goals, time management, and excitement, is really solid.

Finished: (first edition finished in March, 2008. Still working on expanded edition, which was just released December 11, 2009, and is substantially beefed up).

2010 was another great year for me and books – this was the year I started my book club (shout out and holla to my fellow members!), and I enjoyed reading 21 books (not counting several additional audio books).  Through each one of them, I  really learned a lot, good and bad.  I’ve tagged a few of you here because I have discussed at least one of these books with you, or I know how much you love reading (or you still haven’t returned a book of mine!).   I love reading, and this year, I bought more books than ever, as evidenced by the stack of backlogged books by my bed and in my briefcase.  So, my goal this year is to finish 2 books per month or more.  Here’s to a literate and meaningful 2011!  

The Courage to be Rich, by Suze Orman

Started:  December, 2009

Notes:  More aggressive than her previous works, Suze writes with an angry tone, spurring the reader towards action.  Like many of her books, a great read, and not the usual financial literature.

Finished: March, 2010

The Four Hour Workweek Expanded Edition

Started :  December, 2009

Notes:  An amazing book.  Draws from (steals from) many other sources, and sometimes is self congratulatory and all over the place, but the 40% of the book about goals, time management, and excitement, is really solid.

Finished: March, 2010

The Autobiography of Frederick Douglass

Started:  December, 2009

Notes:  A detailed look into the life of slaves in the 19th century.  An amazing, and inspirational story.  And the story of slave whippings, relations between slaves, the songs of the slaves of the South, relations between masters and slaves, and the touching, very sad story of Douglass’ mother really touched me.  The eye opening power of literacy, the lessons about standing up for yourself, and the sudden escape that made Douglass a free man was incredibly inspirational.  This is a must read for anyone in life in my opinion.

Finished: February 20, 2010.

In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

Started:  March, 2009

Notes: An eye opening book – written in an engaging, very reasonable style that makes a good argument against “nutritionalism”, and ultimately teaches all who read it how to eat.

Finished: September, 2010

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan

Started:  March, 2009

Notes: The author’s attempt to follow food up the food chain is hilarious and well written.  His attempt to forage and find his own food for a meal for him and friends is an amazing adventure.

Finished: May, 2010

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Started:  January, 2010

Finished:  January, 2010

Notes:  I wanted to like this book more than I really did.  I think there are some nuggets here, and who could argue with the power of relationships and of what’s truly important in our lives?  But in some parts he comes across as an obsessed overly self important jerk, sorry to say about the dead.

Peace is Every Step, by Thich Nhat Hanh

Started: 2008

Notes:  One of Hanh’s better books, with individual essays and meditations on how even small things can remind us of the path towards peace and mindfulness.  A very much lighthearted book, with a dandilion flower on the cover, from a story of a California student who said that every time they see a flower, they are reminded that the flower holds their smile for them until they are able to smile again.  

Finished:  January, 2010

Money and the Law of Attraction, by Abraham (Jerry and Esther) Hicks

Started:  2008

Notes:  Ugh.  This book is a mess and full of platitudes, some of which are even dangerous, like avoiding doctors, not obtaining health insurance, etc.  Avoid this book.

Finished:  January, 2010

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, by Jay Bernstein

Started:  February, 2010

Notes: Very concise well presented book about marketing truisms.  The book is somewhat dated, being from 1993, but has classic real world examples from the world of Sodas, Car Rentals, Airplanes, Freight/Delivery, and consumer goods.  Some have suggested that in the internet era, this book is irrelevant.  I have to say, in my personal opinion, “yes and no”.  The book has some information about the way the mind perceives information and how marketing categories and competition works that are timeless.  The easy access of information on the internet supports good products better, but it’s still better to have a great perception than a great product.

Finished:  February, 2010

“This business has legs”: How I Used Infomercial Marketing to Create the $100,000,000 Thigh Master Craze, by Peter Bieler

Started: June, 2010

Notes: A very entertaining, but also helpful, account of the thigh master craze, the filming of informercials, and how products are brought to success.  Even though this starts out self-congratulatory (and ends somewhat the same way), this is much more enjoyable than the typical business book.

Finished: July, 2010

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coehlo

Started:  July, 2010

Notes:  A slow starting story about a boy who herds sheep, has a dream, sells his sheep, goes to Africa and gets ripped off, works for a year to regain money to travel, travels through the desert, finds an oasis, learns how to read omens and how to find his purpose and treasure, meets an alchemist, gets captured by Bedoins, loses all of his money, goes to the pyramids, and uses money saved for him to return home and finds his fortune, and then travel back to his one true love, this book works on many levels.

Finished:  July, 2010

Soul Proprietor:  101 Lessons from a Lifestyle Entrepreneur, by Jane Pollack.

Started:  July, 2010

Notes:  Not as tightly written as it could have been, this is a list of 101 lessons, with personal stories, that is sometimes contradictory, and sometimes very inspirational, even if not terribly helpful.  What is not well defined is the story of an egg artist who maximized her artwork production by outsourcing, making contacts and getting press from very high up, and not giving up, as this is more an inspirational tale.  There are some great nuggets here, but it’s not necessarily an easy flowing read.  

Finished:  September, 2010

On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin

Started: September, 2010

Notes: I’m surprised at how much time Darwin spent on the “artificial selection” of breeders of farm animals, although in retrospect it makes sense and sets up his book.

Finished:  Check back in 2011…

Words that Matter from O, the Oprah Magazine.

Started: September, 2010

Notes: Short, small, quotes 

Finished:  Not even really a “book”, but there were some nuggets here. 

Vagabonding, by Ralph Potts

Started:  September, 2010

Notes: Potts is so right – so many of us defer our dreams of travel when we don’t have to.  So many amazing ideas, thoughts, concepts and quotes from this little book.  A few examples:  We see long term travel to faraway lands as a recurring dream or temptation but not something that applies to the here and now.  In this way, travel becomes just another accessory – a smooth-edged, encapsulated experience tht we purchse the same way we buy clothing and furniture.  Purchsing a package vacation to find a simpler life is kind of like using a mirror to see wht you look like when you aren’t looking into the mirror. Every environmental disaster or bad news makes Americans seek to save the Earth by purchasing “environmental” products.  That manages to make people feel better about the situation without having to make any serious lifestyle changes, but the thing that helps the environment the most – to buy, and use, less things, is the opposite of using eco-friendly green products to sell more stuff.  Despite several millenia of warnings, there is still an overwhelming social complusion to get rich from life rather than live richly, to do well in the world instead of living well.  Most of us remain convicend that just a little more money will set life right.  In reality, long-term travel has nothing to do with demographics – age, ideology, income – and everything to do with personal outlook. Long-term travel doesn’t require a massive “bundle of cash”; it requires only that we walk through the world in a more deliberate way.”

Highly recommended.

Finished: November, 2010

The Art of the Start, by Guy Kawasaki

Started:  November, 2010

Finished:  November 2010

Notes: Short book with surprisingly practical advice on how to start groups, projects, and geared towards starting companies and growing them in the internet age.  Is especially strong with how to present ideas and make pitches and presentations, and how to bootstrap a company.

Palm Reading for Beginners, by Richard Webster

Started: October, 2010

Finished:  November, 2010

Notes:  Completely without even the appearance of any scientific support, this book goes into every detail about lines on the hand, fingerprints, lines on the fingers, the shape of the hands and the fingers, and wavers enough with potential interpretations to apply to everyone.  A great discussion in the beginning of what you can tell about people from their overall posture and “look”, without even looking at the hands, and from what people are looking for in a reading, to make this a good discussion on cold reading.

The Way of the Superior Man, by David Deida

Started:  June, 2010

Finished: December, 2010  

Notes:  Surprisingly hard to read for a new-age book, this book takes some contemplation, but has insights on the differences between men and women, what women are looking for from men (and vice-versa), the importance of knowing and staying on your purpose, and a lot to think about regarding being a man and being comfortable being a man, and the challenges of women, “other women”, and staying on your course.  This book may take me a while to digest (especially all the advice on proper orgasms, ha ha).

The Greatest Show on Earth, by Richard Dawkins

Started:  June, 2010

Finished:  December, 2010

Notes:  I read this book casually through this year, and it’s organized as evidence for evolution, and the case made is compelling, from a number of sources.  Some of the material might be repetitive from Dawkin’s other works, but as always, the writing is incredibly clear and the book is amazingly well written, and entertaining, which is Dawkin’s strength as a writer.  This book is illustrated, although I read most of this via audiobook.  Highly recommended. 

The Way of the Traveler, by Joseph Dispenza

Started:  December, 2010

Finished: Check back in 2011…

Notes:  This is my kind of book.  It explores the deep meaning that travel can have, should have, and always has, if you don’t hide yourself from it.  This book was recommended in the Vagabonding book that so impressed me earlier this year, and I enjoy the author’s take, from ancient history to the present, on how making a pilgrimage, even down your block, can lead to significant personal growth in our lives.